Linoleum cutter



July 24, 1951 s. MOSKOWITZ LINOLEUM CUTTER Filed Aug. 9, 1946 I w W R m NKH ./R t Q Patented July 24, 1951 Sam Moskowit'm la'ss'aic, N. J assignor to Walter E. Selckand'Go Chicago, 111., a corporation of'Illinois" Application 9, 191 sci-m1 No. 689,561

The invention relates to a linoleum cutter and particularly to a cutter for cutting strips of linoleum of uniform width. In laying linoleum on a floor it is common decorative practice to provide a border which will include one or more" strips of linoleum of contrasting color which may vary in width from a half inch to two inches. The cutter to be described cuts strips of uniform and predetermined width from linoleum sheets to provide a border strip.

stock or a e Claims. (01. 30+-287) It is an object of the invention to construct a new and novel linoleum strip cutter which cuts the strip with reduced effort.

Another object of the invention is to construct a linoleum cutter which provides a finger notch' to assist in pulling the cutter along the edge of a piece of linoleum.

A still further object is to construct a linoleum cutter with a 45 mark or slitting edge so that the cutters grip the linoleum while the 45 edge is used to mark or slit the angular end edge of the strip of linoleum.

Other objects of the invention will be more apparent from the description which follows y when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the underside of the strip cutter.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the upperside ofthe cutter with a portion thereof in section.

Figure 3 is an edge view of the cutter. Figure 4 is an end view of the cutter. 1 Figure 5 is a view in reduced size of the cutter cutting a strip from a sheet of linoleum.

The linoleum cutter includes a frame I0 made .of any suitable material although plastic is desirable because it can be molded anabeca'usepr its lightness. A slot or groove I I extends lengthwise thereof having a bottom or edge I2 the depth of the groove determining the width of the linoleum strip cut by the device. The frame has an index finger notch l3 at the corner thereof with well rounded finger grooves extending therefrom on both the front and back of the,,

frame so that the index finger can have ample purchase upon the frame: for pulling the cutter longitudinally of the sheet of linoleum The back edge M of the frame is'cui'ved "and'j'has a series of finger grooves l5 so that the framecomfortably fits the hand and the fingers and hence prevents chafing. The pressure of the fingers along-the back edge of the'frame holds theedge of the sheet of lineoleum against the bottom I2 of the groove to" assure a uniform width of strip. Q5

A thumb groove I6 is provided in the'top surface of the frame so that the frame may be pressed downwardly and ride along the floor during the cutting operation. Three directions of projecting into thegroove opening. These cutters are in longitudinal alignment and extend approximately half way across the width of the groove ll or a little bit beyond the half way point in order to assure a cut through the linoleum. The cutting edges of the blades l9 and 20 are in the same plane, which plane extends longitudinally of the frame and transversely --of the median plane of the groove or slot II. The cutters are spaced lengthwise of each other in order to separate the pressure or compression areas surrounding each cutter during the cutting operation. In other words when a strip is cut, a pressure or compression area builds up in the linoleum ahead of the cutting edge of the cutter which extends a. short distance in front of the blade. With the cutters spaced lengthwise with respect to each other, one cutter I9 is ahead of the compression area created by the cutter 20 and thereby neither cutter is operating in the compression area of the other. This substantially reduces the pull necessary to cut a strip. Although straight cutters are shown mounted at 5 the two slots being inclinedin opposite directions.

A clamp plate 25 is received over the slot and screws 26 press the clamp plate against the cutters. A depression is punched in the face of the clamp plate which raises a projection 21 on the opposite side. This projection engages the cutter and clamps it in its respective cutter slot.

The workman laying a linoleum floor and in providing a border witha color strip spaced from the baseboard, fits the ends of the strip together at a 45 angle at all right angular intersections of the boarder. The frame is therefore provided with a 45 ruling edge 30 which is formed pref erably by removing the upper portion of the frame at a 45 angle. The ruling edge extends approximately from the bottom l2 of the groove II to the opposite edge of the frame. The linoleum layer in using the cutter inserts the edge of a sheet of linoleum L into the groove until the edge E abuts the bottom E2 of the groove. The index finger engaging in the notch I3 is used to pull the cutter along the edgeE and the other fingers hold the frame with the edge E at the bottom ii! of the groove. Withthe cutters gripping the linoleum, the frame is held in position therepressure are provided therefore, the index finger by whereupon the workman marks along the 45 ruling edge with a pencil or he may use a sharp knife to groove or slit the upper surface of the strip. The, frame is held-in position during this operation by the bottom l2 of the groove engaging the edge E of the linoleum sheet and the cutters which dig into the linoleum and thereby grips it.

This invention is presented to fill a need for It .is un-- strip comprising a frame having a slot extending lengthwise thereof which is open at one edge, and closed at the other edge, a cutter mounted upon each side of the slot at the open edge thereof and extending approximately half way across the slot, said cutters being in lengthwise alignment and'being spaced from each other lengthwise of the frame, and means securing each cutter to the frame with the cutting edges thereof in the same transverse plane.

2. A device for cutting an edge strip from a piece of linoleum, comprising an integral'block merober of generally rectangular cross section,

said block member having a slot extending lengthwise thereof and open along three sides, the side of the block adjacent the fourth side of the slot being provided with recesses on the outer faces thereof shaped to accommodate the finers whereby the device may be readily gripped by the hand for use, and a pair of longitudinally spaced cutting knives mounted intermediate the ends of the outer opening of said slot and xtending toward each other in the same lateral plane.

3. A linoleum cutter for cutting a linoleum strip comprising a frame having a slot extending lengthwise thereof which is open along one edge and a portion of both ends of said frame, said slot being closed along the other edge, outter members mounted on each side of the slot at the open edge thereof, said cutter members each extending approximately half-way across the slot andibeing in the same transverse plane, said cutter members being spaced from each other lengthwise of the frame and adjacent one end thereof, said slot dividing said'frame into an upper and lower portion, and said frame having a corner of the upper portion cut away at the end of the slot opposite said cutters to provide a ruling edge extending at a 45 angle with the lengthwise edge of the lower portion whereby the cutter members grip the linoleum while it is grooved or marked at a e5 angle across the strip which is being cut.

4. A linoleum cutter for cutting a linoleum strip comprising a frame having a slot extending lengthwise thereof which is open at one edge and closed at the opposite edge, a cutter arranged on each side of the slot at the open edge thereof and extending approximately half-way across the slot, said cutters being in the same transverse plane and being spaced from each other in a direction lengthwise of the frame adjacent one end of said slot, said frame having recesses for receiving said cutters, plate means securin Bachcutter-to the frame, and said frame having a corner portion cut away at one side of the slot providing an edge extending at a 45 angle from the closed edge to the open edge of the slot at the end of the slot opposite from said cutters whereby the cutters grip the linoleum while .the end of the strip is grooved or marked.

A device for cutting an edge strip from a piece of linoleum comprising a block member of generally rectangular cross section, said block member having a slot extending lengthwise thereof and open along three sides, the slot being closed along the fourth side by a guide forming edge, the block being provided with recesses on the .outer faces thereof shaped to accommocla1te the fingers whereby the device may be "readily gripped by the hand for use, a pair of 20- longitudinallyjspaced cutting elements mounted adjacent one end'of the lengthwise open side of said slot, said cutting elements extending-toward each other in the same lateral plane, and said block member having acorner portion removed on one side of said slot at the end of the slot opposite the cutting elements to provide a mitering edge extending at a 45 angle to the guide forming edge along the closed side of said slot. 6 .,A linoleum cutter forcutting' a linoleum strip comprising a generally rectangular frame member having a slot extending lengthwise thereof "which is open at one edge and closedat the opposite edge, the closed edge defining said slot forming a guiding edge, saidslot dividing the frame into upper 'andlower portions which are joined at the closed edge thereof, cutting knives arranged in the same transverse plane secured at the open edge of said slot adjacent oneend of the frame, said frame having a corner of the upper portion-removed to provide an edge extending at a 45 angle with the length of the lower portion at the endof-the frame-opposite the cutting knives whereby the cutting knives grip the linoleum while the strip is grooved or marked at a 45 angle along said last mentioned edge.

'7. 'In'a'deyicefor use in cutting a strip of uniform width'from" one edge of a sheet of linoleum, a generally flat frame which is provided in one of its side edges with an outwardly opening slotnfpredetermined depth, which slot'ex-te nds longitudinally'of said side edge and is open at both ends forthe passage of the edge of the sheetof linoleum, and a pair of cutting blades secured to the slottedside edge of the frame at opposite sides of the slot, said blades being spaced from each other longitudinally of the slot, projecting'at least halfway across the slot, and being disposed in a common cutting plane which extends transversely of the median plane of the S1013;

SAM MOSKOWITZ;

REFERENCES CITED Thefollowing references are of record in the file ofrthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

